Sho Shinjo
Sho Shinjo ' is a character in the first three installments of the ''Battle Arena Toshinden series. He made his first appearance in Battle Arena Toshinden as both the secret final boss of the game and as an unlockable hidden character. He also appeared as an unlockable hidden character/hidden boss in Battle Arena Toshinden 2 and an unlockable mid-boss in Battle Arena Toshinden 3. His moveset is mostly a blend of both Eiji Shinjo and Kayin Amoh's, although his attacks are slightly more damaging and in the third game, he is significantly faster. Story Sho had trained his younger brother Eiji and Eiji's best friend/rival Kayin in the ways of the sword ever since the two of them were young children. One day, however, Sho had suddenly and unexpectedly vanished without any trace, leaving both Eiji and Kayin behind as he felt and decided that they had reached an adequate level of swordsmanship and could train much further without him. Sho had soon traveled around the world while taking up the name of "The Stranger", searching out and defeating those who were rumored to have strong fighting potential. In due time, Sho had learned that Eiji had entered the Toshindaibukai: a tournament that was to be held for the strongest fighters in the world. He watched his brother from afar and saw him facing Gaia in the finals. During this tournament, Sho had met and fought with Cupido: a woman from the Himitsu Kessha and Master's right-hand servant. The two of them would soon fall in love with each other and that they would eventually have a son named Subaru. Sho had entered the second tournament for the same reasons he did the first; to see if his brother had gotten stronger. During this tournament, he encountered Vermilion and defeated him, causing the shrouded black warrior to flee. Sho didn't care about his motives, for he had only one thing in mind: making Master and Uranus pay for making clones of him. He broke into the organization's main compound and killed Uranus and Master. He then walked out of the building just as Gaia arrived. In the third game, Sho had finally faced Eiji from within their duel against one another and not only did his brother had managed to defeat him in battle, but also had managed to bring down the Soshiki as well with the help of his friends. Personally impressed in having to see Eiji's growth as both a person and a swordsman, Sho had decided to leave Subaru with Eiji. He then asked Eiji if he could take care of him and train him the same way he had trained Eiji before from within the past. Eiji had accepted Sho's request and from there, Sho had left both Eiji and Subaru behind, continuing to travel around the world in having to fight and battle against strong and worthy opponents. In Toshinden 4/Subaru, Sho is not a playable character, yet he appears in Subaru's ending in the form of a glowing ball of light (produced by the linking of the Four Sacred Arms). This could heavily imply that Sho had unexpectedly died after the events of the third game. Sho became proud of Subaru's improving skills and he gives his son some advice to train day by day due to his unskilled training before the glowing ball of light revert back to the Four Sacred Arms and disappears. Subaru also recognizes Sho as his father when he pleads to stop to know more of his advices but it is too late when the Four Sacred Arms are disappeared. However in the end of the fourth Toshindaibukai after the player plays as Eiji and his group, Sho also appears in the reflection of Eiji's katana. Furthermore, in Toshinden 4/Subaru, Eiji's alternate costume is the same as Sho's primary costume in the Toshinden series (albeit with a visor covering his face). Game Appearance Sho appears to have a long maroon hair with long single fringes in each side of his head and is tied in a low ponytail with a distinctive dolphin tail and purple eyes. For most of his appearances, he was seen wearing a gold and red sleeveless tunic with a gold sash to tucked on his tunic and a large purple hood at the center of his tunic. Underneath is a black and golden yellow short sleeve shirt with gold shoulder bands in each sides of his shoulders, black pants and brown thigh high boots with two silver straps in every side of his boots. He also wears brown bracelets in each wrists. In his character screen and his in-game appearance, his hair becomes shoulder length and his fringe are short. In the OVA version, his real appearance is shown in the near end of the movie who has him wearing a red long sleeve tunic shirt with a red orange sash and is tucked into his tunic shirt, black pants and black boots. He also wears a black ninja armguards instead of brown bracelets that he wore in the game and his maroon long hair becomes reddish brown and a pink laced ribbon is hanging loose on his low ponytail. His clone version of himself in the movie remains the same as the tunic shirt that he wears is purple and the sash changed from red orange to pink. His alternate costume is still his primary outfit but minor changes, the hood becomes blue as his tunic and his thigh-high boots changed to dark gray and his skin becomes almost tan and his long hair becomes purple. Game Endings ''Battle Arena Toshinden 2'' Why does he fight? Why does he sacrifice everything in following the way of the sword? In front of the proud and lonely warrior Sho, words have nomeaning. The unshakeable confidence in his eyes, and the eloquence of his sword, tell all. Will Sho, better known as the Stranger, continue on his quest forever? ''Battle Arena Toshinden 3'' Sho's sword is razor sharp, keen enough to cut through any shadow. All those who dared to challenge were felled by the power of his mighty blade.Sho's high ideals will never fully be realized. But the brilliance of his aura burns brightly, and all fighters stand in awe of him. As his power and skill increase, there may no longer be any rivals left strong enough to challenge him. Voice Actors *Masaaki Ohkura (games) (Toshinden 1) (Japanese) *Ryotaro Okiayu (games) (Toshinden Remix, Toshinden 2, Toshinden URA) (Japanese) *Masaya Onosaka (games) (Toshinden 3, Toshinden 4) (Japanese) *Martin Galipolar (Toshinden 1, Toshinden Remix) (English) *Bin Shimada (OVA) (Japanese) *Chris Yates (OVA) (English) Move Lists Sho's signature moves is a mixture of both his younger brother Eiji and Kayin's moves, but he also has other signature moves of his own. Like his younger brother, Sho's skills are fire based but the color of his projectiles are purple and most of his basic attacks are more focused on both characters. Special Attacks * '''Rekkuzan: Sho shoots a dark purple fire projectiles with the use of his katana. * Shishouzan: Sho dashes to his opponent and rises diagonally with his katana. Unlike Kayin's Deadly Raise, his move has slight damage. He can also use a forward version of his move as well as his own version of Eiji's Hishouzan. * Mokurowari: Sho brings his katana down as he somersaults forward and slices his opponent down as his katana hits the ground, it erupts a geyser of energy. * Invisible Shishouzan: '''Sho goes in camouflage to confuse his opponent in invisibility and knocks them with a Hishouzan in a green light. He cannot execute this move when his opponent would easily attack him from behind. * '''Shoulder Crush: Sho performs a split kick with a golden light in electric sparkles surrounding him. * Scottish Moon: Sho performs a somersault kick. In his case he can shoot dark purple fire projectiles in mid-air. * Diving Kick: '''Sho jumps and perform a long distance flying kick to his opponent. * '''Flaming Thrust Kick: '''Sho jumps and perform a flying kick to his opponent in flames with a fire embedded on his left leg. Overdrive * '''Jigokumon: Sho rushes to his opponent and multiple slashes to his/her opponent in five hits. Can only be done when the Overdrive meter is full. He can also knocks them with a Shishouzan as an additional blow. Secret Move * Double Rekkuzan '''also known as '''Enjinshouraha: Sho can shoot two large dark purple fire projectiles to his/her opponent in two slashes. * Plasma Vortex '''also known as '''Enmaresshusai: '''Sho creates a purple electrical energy that crackles in both of his hands. This ability also drains Sho's life bar when it was used. * '''Suicide '''also known as '''Harakiri: '''Sho will stab his own katana to his stomach as his K.O. scream can be heard. His opponent will be damaged despite he himself has more damage than his opponent. Desperation Move * '''Byakki Mosyuken: Sho ready to strike with his katana and multiple slashes his opponent with a punch and a headbutt followed with a Shishouzan. Can only be done when the health bar is flashing red. Trivia *In comparision with Street Fighter, Sho's equivalent is Akuma, given his endless travels in search of a worthy opponent and his past relationship with Eiji, which parallels that between Ryu and Akuma. However in Toshinden Subaru as Eiji's equivalent is Gouken making him and Sho being compared between both Gouken and Akuma as brothers Gallery sho-t2.jpg sho-art.jpg sho-art2.jpg sho-art3.jpg Sho.jpg sho3.jpg sho2.jpg Category:Battle Arena Toshinden Category:Battle Arena Toshinden 2 Category:Battle Arena Toshinden 3 Category:Characters